Dutch land
General information Dutch land is a medium sized, mostly developed, and aging nation at 589 days old with citizens primarily of Dutch ethnicity whose religion is Christianity. Its technology is first rate and its citizens marvel at the astonishing advancements within their nation. It is a mostly neutral country when it comes to foreign affairs. It will usually only attack another nation if attacked first. It believes nuclear weapons are necessary for the security of its people. History The city of Oud-Beijerland is founded in 1559 as Beijerland by Count Lamoraal van Egmont. He got in 1557 the right of the area and made dykes around the new found city. Count van Egmond didn't enjoy his new town for very long. A few years later he, by order of Philips II was deheaded on the market in Brussel together with the count of Hoorne. De battle for the freedom of Dutchland started. In 1582 the name changed into Oud-Beijerland, to part from the new town Nieuw-Beijerland that was build a few kilometers to the west. Geography Floods In years past, the Dutch land coastline has changed considerably as a result of human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land loss is the 1134 storm, which created the archipelago of Zeeland in the south west. The St. Elizabeth flood of 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimed polder, replacing it with the 72 square kilometres (28 sq mi) Biesbosch tidal floodplains in the south-centre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were flooded during the North Sea Flood of 1953 when 1,836 people were killed, after which the Delta Plan was executed. The disasters were partially increased in severity through human influence. People had drained relatively high lying swampland to use it as farmland. This drainage caused the fertile peat to compress and the ground level to drop, locking the land users in a vicious circle whereby they would lower the water level to compensate for the drop in ground level, causing the underlying peat to compress even more. The problem remains unsolvable to this day. Also, up until the 19th century peat was mined, dried, and used for fuel, further adding to the problem. To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were contrived. In the first millennium AD, villages and farmhouses were built on man-made hills called terps. Later, these terps were connected by dykes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called "waterschappen" (English "water bodies") or "hoogheemraadschappen" ("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain the water level and to protect a region from floods. (These agencies exist to this day, performing the same function.) As the ground level dropped, the dykes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. By the 13th century, windmills had come into use in order to pump water out of areas below sea level. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famous polders. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (English "Closure Dyke") was completed, blocking the former Zuiderzee (Southern Sea) from the North Sea and thus creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). It became part of the larger Zuiderzee Works in which four polders totalling 2,500 km2 (965 mi2) were reclaimed from the sea. Delta works After the 1953 disaster, the Delta project, a vast construction effort designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched in 1958 and largely completed in 2002. The official goal of the Delta project was to reduce the risk of flooding in the province of Zeeland to once per 10,000 years. (For the rest of the country, the protection-level is once per 4,000 years.) This was achieved by raising 3,000 kilometres (1,864 miles) of outer sea-dykes and 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) of inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the sea estuaries of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments occasionally show problems requiring additional Delta project dyke reinforcements. The Delta project is one of the largest construction efforts in human history and is considered by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Additionally, Dutch land is one of the countries that may suffer most from climatic change. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but also erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow. Rivers The country is divided into two main parts by three large rivers, the Rhine (Rijn) and its main distributary Waal, as well as the Meuse (Maas). These rivers function as a natural barrier between earlier fiefdoms, and hence created traditionally a cultural divide, as is evident in some phonetic traits that are recognisable north and south of these "Large Rivers" (de Grote Rivieren). In addition to this, there was, until quite recently, a clear religious dominance of Catholics in the south and of Protestants in the north. The south-western part of Dutch land is actually a massive river delta of these rivers and two tributaries of the Scheldt (Westerschelde and Oosterschelde). Only one significant branch of the Rhine flows northeastwards, the IJssel river, discharging into the IJsselmeer, the former Zuiderzee ('southern sea'). This river also happens to form a linguistic divide. People to the east of this river speak Low Saxon dialects (except for the province of Friesland that has its own language). Climate The predominant wind direction in Dutch land is south-west, which causes a moderate maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Economy The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy in which the government has reduced its role since the 1980s. Industrial activity is predominantly in food-processing (for example Unilever and Heineken International), chemicals (for example DSM), petroleum refining (for example Royal Dutch Shell), and electrical machinery (for example Philips). In the north of the Netherlands, near Slochteren, one of the largest natural gas fields in the world is situated. So far (2006) exploitation of this field resulted in a total revenue of €159 billion since the mid 1970s. N.V. Dutch land Gasunie still is the largest public-private partnership P3 world-wide following the global energy-transition of 196323 from coal to gas, coupling oil and gas prices. With just over half of the reserves used up and an expected continued rise in oil prices, the revenues over the next few decades are expected to be at least that much. The Netherlands has the 16th largest economy in the world, and ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita. Between 1998 and 2000 annual economic growth (GDP) averaged nearly 4%, well above the European average. Growth slowed considerably in 2001-05 due to the global economic slowdown, but accelerated to 4.1% in the third quarter of 2007. Inflation is 1.3% and is expected to stay low at around 1.5% in the coming years. Unemployment is at 4.0% of the labour force. By Eurostat standards however, unemployment in Dutch land is at only 2.9% - the lowest rate of all European Union member states. The Netherlands also has a relatively low GINI coefficient of 0.326. Despite ranking only 10th in GDP per capita, UNICEF ranked Dutch land 1st in child well-being. Agriculture and horticulture Frisian Holstein cows originated in Dutch land, where intensive dairy farming is an important part of agriculture. A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labour force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch land rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the United States and France, with exports earning $55 billion annually. A significant portion of Dutch agricultural exports are derived from fresh-cut plants, flowers, and bulbs, with Dutch land exporting two-thirds of the world's total. The Netherlands also exports a quarter of all world tomatoes, and one-third of the world's exports of peppers and cucumbers. Dutch lands's location gives it prime access to markets in the UK and Germany, with the port of Rotterdam being the largest port in Europe. Other important parts of the economy are international trade (Dutch land colonialism started with cooperative private enterprises such as the VOC), banking and transport. Dutch land successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners. Currency As a founding member of the Euro, Dutch land replaced (for accounting purposes) its former currency, the "Gulden" (Guilder), on January 1, 1999, along with the other adopters of the single European currency. Actual Euro coins and banknotes followed on January 1, 2002. One Euro is equivalent to 2.20371 Dutch land guilders. Social Language The official language is Dutch, which is spoken by a majority of the inhabitants, the exception being some groups of immigrants. Another official language is West Frisian, which is spoken in the northern province of Friesland, called Fryslân in that language. West Frisian is co-official only in the province of Friesland, although with a few restrictions. Several dialects of Low Saxon (Nedersaksisch in Dutch) are spoken in much of the north and east, like the Twentse language in the Twente region, and are recognised by Dutch land as regional languages according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, as well as the Meuse-Rhenish Franconian varieties in the southeastern province of Limburg, here called Limburgish language. There is a tradition of learning foreign languages in the Netherlands: about 70% of the total population have good knowledge of English, 55– 59% of German and 19% of French.19 Some Dutch secondary schools also teach Latin and Ancient Greek. Religion Dutch land is one of the more secular countries in the Western Europe, with only 39% being religiously affiliated (31% for those aged under 35), although 62% are believers (but 40% of those not in the traditional sense). Fewer than 20% visit church regularly . According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005, 34% of Dutch citizens responded that "they believe there is a god", whereas 37% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 27% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force". In 1950, before the secularisation of Europe, and the large settlement of non-Europeans in the Netherlands, most Dutch land citizens identified themselves as Christians. In 1950, out of a total population of almost 13 million, a total of 7,261,000 belonged to Protestant denominations, 3,703,000 belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, and 1,641,000 had no acknowledged religion. However, Christian schools are still funded by the government, but the same applies for schools founded on other religions, nowadays Islam in particular. While all schools must meet strict quality criteria, from 1917 the freedom of schools is a basic principle in Dutchland. Three political parties in the Dutch land parliament (CDA, ChristianUnion and SGP) base their policy on the Christian belief system. Culture Erasmus (1466–1536).Dutch land has had many well-known painters. The 17th century, when the Dutch land republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch land Masters", such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruysdael and many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century were Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam, although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American artist. Han van Meegeren was an infamous Dutch art forger. Dutch land is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and Spinoza. All of Descartes' major work was done in the Netherlands. The Dutch land scientist Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695) discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented the pendulum clock. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe and describe single-celled organisms with a microscope. In the Dutch land Golden Age, literature flourished as well, with Joost van den Vondel and P.C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th century, Multatuli wrote about the bad treatment of the natives in Dutch land colonies. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard (van het) Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl was published after she died in The Holocaust and translated from Dutch to all major languages. Replicas of Dutch land buildings can be found in Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese and Delftware pottery are among the items associated with Dutchland. Wars The great war During the battle for a free Netherlands, troops from Oud-Beijerland where in the middle of the fight. During this war, talks about a new to form nation where secretly held by members of the resistance. Although the fighting lasted for years, more and more leader from the area where starting to show interest for the new found nation. The war took its toll on the citizens of Oud-Beijerland. Many of its historic buildings where destroyed during bombing runs from hostile nations. On July 6, peace talks where entered and during this time Dutch land was formed. Then it was time to rebuild the destroyed buildings Pre World War II Before WWII broke out, Dutch land was a nation mostly build on farming the rich lands around the capitals. trade agreements where made with surrounding country's and Dutch land started to take a dominant position. Life was good for the people living in this nation. The government made sure that all people where taken care of and sufficient jobs where available. World War II During this war, Dutch land came under attack from the Germans. Operation Fall Gelb, wich include the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg was swift and fast. The Blitz Krieg was swift and Dutch land was soon suppressed by the Germans. During these dark days, resistance groups were making hit and run attacks against the German force, eliminating top generals and staff. But, the war took its toll again from the people living in Dutch land. Basic needs where almost not available, food was almost consumet by German forces, leaving the dutchlanders with little to eat. This was one of the most darkest day, stringing the leaders and the resistance to there maximum to deliver food to the needed. During the German occupation, resistance maintained contact with England, French and The U.S. coördinating the liberation of dutchland. The war also brought Dutchlanders who symphatised the German cause. They set up their own organisation, the NSB, who's main task was seeking out the resistance and eliminating them. An other thing the NSB did was seeking out Jewish hideouts. Often, NSB conducted raids in city's seeking out these hiding places. people who where found usually where shipped to camps inside Germany. Most didn't return from there. The NSB hade a large vicotry when they discovered a secret hide from the resistance. A nightly raid killed 14 members and 4 where arrested. After the interogations they where brought to the dunes where they were executed. To this day the site where this happens was deemed a memorial place, where every year on the 4th of may, the death of Dutch land soldier and resistance members is remembered. About halfway trough the war, the U.S. where making bombing runs over Dutch land. But there bombers where not dropping bombs, but food. This brought the relief that people needed. Things as weapons, ammo and radio's for the resistance where also dropped during these runs. On 6 September 1944 a small group of recon soldiers of the Amerikaanse 113th Cavalry Group Red Horse crossed the Dutch land borders and withou t knowlige made way for the liberation forces. On fryday 20th of oktober 1944 Operatie Pheasant, the freedom of Mid and West of Dutch land was liberated by the 1st Canadian and the 2nd British army from the east. Heavy fighting was reported a the urban area around the capitol city, with Germans firmly dugged in. Four days of fighting took place. Story's from soldiers made clear that a some points, fighting became hand to hand combat. On 4 May 1945 Fieldmarshall Montgomery in his headquarters at the Lüneburgerheide accepted the surrender of the German troops wich would be effective from the 5th of May 1945 at 08.00 PM. The people of Dutchland were finally free from the tiranny. The NSB continued to fight, refusing to accept the surrender until march 1946, when Britich and Dutch land soldiers contucted an attack on there hideout. Most of the members of the NSB where killed, with only 2 who survived. After a short trial, they where hung, being the last people who where given the death penalty in Dutch land.. Every 5 May Dutchlanders celebrate the surrender of the Germans on there socalled "bevrijdingsdag" (freedoms day). Vietnam Not mutch is known about the Dutch land involvement in this war. Secret U.S. documents that were released under the freedom of information act show a small Dutch land special forces (DLSF) detail being deployed to conduct clandistine operations agains the Vietcong / NVA. Some say that DLSF contucted secret actions against the NVA deep inside Laos and North Vietnam, coördinating airstrikes made by U.S. F105 and F4 Phantoms. Claims by the later leader of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, stated that DLSF where involved in the airraids made by the U.S. during Operation Rolling Thunder Iraq An ongoing conflict, which has been termed as the Iraq War, "Gulf War II", the "Second Persian Gulf War", or "Operation Iraqi Freedom," began on March 20, 2003 with the United States-led invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition composed of U.S., Dutch land and United Kingdom troops supported by smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland, and other nations. The invasion had several military objectives. The objectives were to end Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime; to identify, isolate and eliminate Iraq’s suspected weapons of mass destruction; to search for, kill, capture and drive out Islamic terrorists; to obtain intelligence related to terrorist networks; to acquire information related to a suspected network of weapons of mass destruction, to distribute humanitarian aid to Iraqis in need; to secure Iraq’s oil fields and other resources; and, perhaps most importantly, to assist the Iraqi people in electing a reasonably representative government that might be a model for other nations in the Middle east. That was the mission. Recently the Dutch land military force in Iraq are fighting against insurgents who maintain a hit and run tactic and utilize IED's against them. Dutch land has the following troops deployed: 1500 soldiers of the DLA (Dutch land Army) 200 members of the DLSR (Dutch land Support Regiment) 20 Apaches of the DLAF (Dutch land Air Force) And a unknown number of DLSF (Dutch land Special Forces) The current casualties are: 71 Soldiers of the DLA are KIA. 25 Soldier of the DLA are WIA. War on Peace Main Attack On 2/12/2008 11:40:48 PM Dutch land was attack by members of IRON. The first attacks took place while the president was visiting the nearby country of TIGER Empire. Dutch land was attack with cruis missiles, bombers with escorting fighters and ground troops. Also, a unknown amount of spies hade infiltraded top military positions, changing the defcon status of the fighting forces. Initial ground attacks where countert, but due to deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq, 1/3 of the fighting forces remaind to defend Dutchland. It wasend for long until defences where smashed and troops started invading Dutch land soil. =Dutch land fighting forces= Dutch land Army Equipment Armour Tracked 91 Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks + 28 Reserve 192 CV9035NL infantry fighting vehicles 655 AIFV (YPR-765) infantry fighting vehicles. Several versions: Armoured personnel carrier (APC), Anti-Tank, Command Post Vehicle, Reconnaissance, Engineering, Battle Damage Repair, Recovery (YPR806), Cargo, Battlefield Ambulance. The YPR-765 is internationally known under the name AIFV, which was developed based on the M113. The majority of these vehicles will be replaced by the CV9035NL, Fennek and Boxer. Wheeled 410 Fennek armoured cars. Several versions: reconnaissance, general purpose, medium range anti tank, air defence vehicle, forward observer and tactical air control party (deliveries until end of 2008) 200 Boxer armoured fighting vehicles (deliveries between 2010–2016) 89 Patria XA-188 armoured personnel carriers or ambulances 47 Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles (deliveries until end of 2008) Other armoured vehicles Leopard 2A6 Main battle tank of the Dutch land Army.M577 command vehicle (replaced by the Boxer) 25 Buffel (Leopard 2) recovery tanks 14 Biber Leopard 1 bridgelayers (will be replaced by the PSB2) 14 Leopard 1 armoured engineer vehicles (to be replaced by 10 AEV-3 KODIAK). 22 Leopard 1 recovery tanks 23 Fuchs Electronic Warfare vehicles 6 Fuchs 2 NBC reconnaissance vehicles Other vehicles DAF Trucks, various versions Scania PLS Trucks, various versions MB 290 Wolf 4WD car, various versions Land Rover Wolf 4WD car, various versions Artillery PzH 2000 155 mm Self-propelled howitzer of the Dutch land Army.39 M109A2 self-propelled howitzers (Being phased out, last one will leave service when last Pzh has arrived.) 31 PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers + 26 Reserve Weaponry Glock 17M semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum (M stands for 'maritime') Mossberg 590DA1 pump action shotgun 12 gauge FN P90 submachine gun 5.7x28mm Diemaco C8A1GD assault carbine 5.56x45mm NATO (GD stands for 'geluiddemper' (suppressor) Heckler & Koch HK416 assault rifle 5.56x45mm NATO Heckler & Koch HK417 assault/designated marksman rifle 7.62x51mm NATO Heckler & Koch AG-NL grenade launcher 40x46mm Accuracy International Arctic Warfare sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO (few arms available) Accuracy International AWSM-F sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum Sako TRG-41 sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum (20 arms acquired prior to the Accuracy International AWSM-F procurement) Barrett M82A1 anti-material rifle 12.7x99mm NATO FN Minimi light machine gun 5.56x45mm NATO FN MAG general purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO M2 Browning machine gun heavy machine gun 12.7x99mm NATO Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher 40x53mm Thomson-Brandt Commando Type V 60mm light mortar LAW light anti-tank weapon AT4 anti-tank weapon Dutch land Navy History The Dutch land navy has a long history. It was involved in many wars against other European powers since the late 16th century, initially for independence against Spain in European waters, later for shipping lanes, trade and colonies in many parts of the world, notably in four Anglo-Dutch wars against England and the United Kingdom. World War II During the Second World War, the Dutch land navy was based in Allied countries after the Netherlands were conquered by Nazi-Germany in a matter of days: the Dutch navy had its headquarters in London and smaller dependencies in Sri Lanka and Australia. Around the world Dutch land naval units were responsible for troop transport, for example during Operation Dynamo in Dunkirk and D-Day, they escorted convoys and attacked enemy targets. During the war the navy suffered heavy losses, especially in defending the Dutch land East Indies, most notably the Battle of the Java Sea in which the commander, Dutchlander Karel Doorman, went down with his ships together with 1000 of his crew. After the war, the relations between Dutch land and its colonies changed dramatically. The establishment of the Republic of Indonesia, 2 days after the Japanese surrender, thwarted the Dutch land plans for restoring colonial authority. It took 4 years of war before Dutch land acknowledged the independence of Indonesia. The Dutch land navy was stationed in Papua until it was turned over to the Indonesians in 1962, because the action from the Military of Indonesia, supported by the modern military equipments from Soviet Union, as the order of President Sukarno to integrate it into as one of Indonesian provinces. Cold War and NATO cooperation With the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the military focus was on the army and air force; it was not until the Korean War (1950–1953) that the navy got more recognition. The government allowed the creation of a balanced fleet consisting of 2 naval squadrons. Apart from the aircraft carrier Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman the Dutch land navy consisted of 2 cruisers (2 De Zeven Provinciën class), 12 destroyers (4 Holland class, 8 Friesland class), 8 submarines, 6 frigates (van Speijk class frigates) and a large number of minesweepers. As a NATO member Dutch land developed its safety policy in close cooperation with other members. The establishment of the Warsaw pact in 1955 intensified the arms race between West and East. Technical innovations rapidly emerged, the introduction of radar and sonar were followed by nuclear weapon systems and long-range missiles. The geopolitical situation allowed for a fixed military strategy. From 1965 onwards Dutch land joined certain permanent NATO squadrons like the Standing Naval Force Atlantic Dutch land Special Forces Function The KCT forms part of the Dutch land military's special forces, with emphasis on special operations. These can be divided into special reconnaissance, offensive actions, direct action, military assistance and collateral activities. A few examples of special operations are patrol and reconnaissance missions, attacking enemy targets through ambushes, raids, and/or sabotage. The rescue of civilians and/or servicemen and counter-terrorism in crisis areas, final guidance of laser-guided ammunition and evacuation are part of the tasks. Because of its unique role, it serves as an independent unit, not directly attached to the three large brigades that make up the main part of the army. Other countries counterpart's of the KCT are the British Special Air Service (SAS), the United States Army Special Forces, and the Delta Force. History 1942 - 1950 In March 1942 a group of 48 Dutch males underwent commando training in Achnacarry (Scotland). Of the group, 25 passed the course and became the first members of the new No.2 (Dutch) troop formed as part of the No.10 (Interallied) Commando. No.2 troop fought in Arakan (Burma) and in the Dutch cities Arnhem, Nijmegen, Eindhoven, Vlissingen and Westkapelle. In the Far East the Dutch Korps Insulinde was formed. After the German and Japanese capitulation both units were disbanded. Members of these units were attached to the 100 man strong "Depot Speciale Troepen" (Depot Special Forces). These forces were sent to restore order in the former Dutch East Indies and were under the command of Raymond Westerling using sometimes brutal counter-terror techniques. Later renamed the Korps Speciale Troepen (KST), the unit was disbanded in the early 1950s, but its members went on become part of the newly formed "Korps Commandotroepen". Battle honours: Arakan 1944, Arnhem 1944, Nijmegen 1944, Eindhoven 1944, Vlissingen 1944, Westkapelle 1944, Djokjakarta 1948, Midden-Sumatra 1948-1949 1950 - 1993 In this period the Korps Commandotroepen consisted of three commando companies. After a reorganisation to save costs in 1964 the 104 Surveillance and Reconnaissance company (104 Wrnverkcie) was formed. Until 1993 a School instruction company and staff company were also part of the Korps Commandotroepen. 1993–Present Day In 1993 the Korps Commandotroepen was expanded with the 108 Commandotroop company and since May 2007 the Korps Commando Troepen consists of the 103, 104, 105, 108 Commandotroop company and a Staff and Instruction company. Training In total commando training takes up twelve months for military personnel that are on active duty and fourteen months for civilian candidates. There is a preparatory training of 8 weeks respectively, the "Elementaire Commando Opleiding" (ECO - the Basic Commando Training) that lasts for 8 weeks and the "Voortgezette Commando Opleiding" (VCO - the Advanced Commando Training) that lasts the remainder of the year. Phase 0 is 8 weeks of Preparatory Training, including an introduction bivouac. It can be compared to basic military training that every recruit gets but with some changes to prepare for the commando training. Recruits from the marine corps and army will join this preparatory training in the third month. The purpose of the Preparatory Training is to refresh the skills and drills of the military recruits, and to again accommodate to the tight schedule of military training. Here, the civilian recruits will learn the basic military skills. Overall, the 8 weeks of training prepares all the recruits - both physically and mentally - for the infamous "Elementaire Commando Opleiding" (ECO), the Basic Commando Training. In week 8, each recruit is assessed on whether or not he can commence Basic Commando Training. Phase 1 is called the "Elementaire Commando Opleiding" (ECO, or basic commando training). During this part of the training heavy physical and mental training takes place which includes, among other things, the field service Special Reconnaissance and Escape and Evasion training. It lasts 8 weeks and after successfully completing this training the participants will receive the Green Beret. The Basic Commando Training (ECO) is the most rigorous basic training within the Dutch armed forces: Of the military recruits, about 1 out of 2 (or 3), will successfully complete the ECO, and will receive the Green Beret. Of the civilian recruits, about 1 out of 8 (or 10), will successfully complete the ECO. (although this is an approximate, in some cases, it is possible that 25% of the civilian recruits receive their Green Beret.) Phase 2 is called "Voortgezette Commando Opleiding" (VCO, advanced commando training). This advanced training is geared towards the preparation of the commandos for missions out in the field. The commandos will be taught a wide variety of subjects, such as Mountain Warfare, and Direct Action, such as ambushes and raids. The VCO ends with a two-week module Special Operations in Urban Terrain (SOUT). After completing the VCO, the commando is individually trained, and is ready to be placed in one of the commando companies. During the VCO, each commando will be trained the aspects of sharpshooting (sniper), medical care and attention, demolition, and communication. When placed in their company, 2 commandos per squad will receive further advanced training in one of these aspects, as part of their individual specialization. Thus, each squad has 2 snipers, 2 communication specialists, 2 medics and 2 demolition specialists. Each KCT company has four commando squads or teams that are specialized in one specific theater, the so-called squad specialization. These squads are designated as SpecOps Teams: SpecOps Team "Para" (HALO/HAHO parachute) SpecOps Team "Optreden Waterrijke Gebieden" (Amphibious warfare: frogmen/special boat squadron) SpecOps Team "Optreden Bergachtig Terrein" (Mountain/High-altitude warfare) SpecOps Team "CT" (counter-terrorism). Experienced commandos can apply for one of these SpecOps teams. Operations The commandos have been known to operate recently in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia. Typical missions include force-protection; hunting for war criminals, terrorists and Taliban members; providing terminal guidance for laser-guided bombs; evacuation of non-combatants. Equipment Weaponry Glock 17M semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum (M stands for 'maritime') Mossberg 590DA1 pump action shotgun 12 gauge FN P90 submachine gun 5.7x28mm Diemaco C8A1GD assault carbine 5.56x45mm NATO (GD stands for 'geluiddemper' (suppressor) Heckler & Koch HK416 assault rifle 5.56x45mm NATO Heckler & Koch HK417 assault/designated marksman rifle 7.62x51mm NATO Heckler & Koch AG-NL grenade launcher 40x46mm Accuracy International Arctic Warfare sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO (few arms available) Accuracy International AWSM-F sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum Sako TRG-41 sniper rifle .338 Lapua Magnum (20 arms acquired prior to the Accuracy International AWSM-F procurement) Barrett M82A1 anti-material rifle 12.7x99mm NATO FN Minimi light machine gun 5.56x45mm NATO FN MAG general purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO M2 Browning machine gun heavy machine gun 12.7x99mm NATO Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher 40x53mm Thomson-Brandt Commando Type V 60mm light mortar LAW light anti-tank weapon AT4 anti-tank weapon Special Operations Knife (SOK) Standard issue handmade survival knife by Hill Knives Holland. Communication AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) with headset War footage In 2006 a t.v. reporter followed the operations of DLSF in Afghanistan. When returning from a compound raid the DLSF where attacked with an IED and came under substantial automatic rifle fire. Footage can be seen here: Dutch land SF under fire